Sustainable Diets from a Consumer Perspective: The Nutrition-Sustainability-Health Nexus

The worldwide rise of childhood obesity is one of today’s biggest challenges. Beyond impairing individuals’ lives, obesity also impacts societies’ sustainability, most notably with regard to the social, the cultural and the economic dimension. Lately, also the environmental dimension - in particular via high-meat, high-protein, non-sustainable diets – has received more attention. Both academics and policy makers are increasingly thinking childhood obesity in a “nexus” mode and therewith leaving old “silos”.
On the policy level, curbing childhood obesity has become a goal in several national and international policy strategies aiming for a better, healthier and more sustainable life. The focus is typically on children since their health behaviour is expected to have a strong impact on
consumers in adulthood.
The presentation analyses the influencing factors, looks at the nexus of these three dimensions and suggest elements of an effective policy toolbox. Examples from Germany, Denmark and the US are
used, both from the literature as well as from own empirical studies. Beyond traditional tools such as regulation, information and education, behavioural informed strategies based on choice architecture and “nudging” are discussed. The latter seem to be most promising but yet still underused options.